a "rare gas," although more abundant than any of the other rare gases. Argon is monatomic (its molecules having only one atom) and characterized by its extreme chemical inactivity. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and somewhat soluble in water. Argon is used as an inert gas in purging, blanketing, and pressurizing systems. It also is used in chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, plasma and reactive ion etching, and annealing. Argon normally is stored as a cryogenic liquid . [SEMI C3.1-88]
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